Economy & Business - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Business and Economy Cover Image

Economy & Business

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian holds a press conference on Aug. 19, 2026.

China slams Trump over economic war on Iran: What to know

China’s once significant oil imports from Iran have been impacted by the war in the region and increasing US sanctions.

Iranians drive past an anti-US billboard at Enghelab Square in central Tehran, Aug. 3, 2026.

Trump’s Iran ‘economic D-Day’ threat sends oil prices above $94

In a Truth Social post, the president threatened that any country that provides a financial lifeline to Iran will face "tremendous economic consequences."

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP via Getty Images

Explainer

Iraq seeks special Hormuz access from Iran in scramble to keep oil flowing

As Iran's parliament speaker holds talks in Baghdad, Iraq has asked Tehran for special consideration for its oil exports.

Latest News

Turkey looks to expand Syria energy footprint into oil, gas

President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 19, 2026.

Oil nears $92 on UAE missile alert as Trump claims Iran talks stuck

Leon Neal/Getty Images

United Arab Emirates

Explainer

What US sanctions on Syria remain as Shibani, Barrack hold talks?

RAMI AL SAYED/AFP via Getty Images

UAE billionaire Habtoor takes aim at Ben Gvir’s Gaza rhetoric

A picture take on Sept. 13, 2017, shows Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, attending the World Premiere of La Perle in Dubai.

United Arab Emirates

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

An oil tanker waits near the Marathon Anacortes Refinery, operated by Marathon Petroleum, in Anacortes, Washington, March 8, 2022.

US sanctions UAE entities for allegedly violating Russian oil price cap

The US Treasury Department also moved to crack down on entities buying diamonds from Russia, a key revenue stream for Moscow amid its war against Ukraine.

United Arab Emirates

A man poses for video outside a Starbucks coffee shop in a market area in Dubai on May 18, 2023.

US firm mulls stake in Starbucks Middle East franchise as local competition heats up

Apollo Asset Management's reported interest comes after the coffee chain said boycotts related to the Gaza war had hurt its regional business.

ISMAILIA, EGYPT - JANUARY 10: A ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on January 10, 2024 in Ismailia, Egypt. In the wake of Israel's war on Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Houthi rebels in Yemen pledged disruption on all ships destined for Israel through the Red Sea's Suez Canal. The disruption on world trade is evident in the number of companies using this container ship route - a 90 per cent decline compared to figures one year ago. (Photo by Sayed Hassan/Getty Images)

Middle East-China trade prospects remain robust despite Red Sea crisis

Howard J. Shatz

Howard J. Shatz

An Egyptian woman shops at a fruit market in Cairo, on March 17, 2022.

What’s behind Egypt decision to raise minimum wage, government salaries by 50%?

Egypt’s economy has suffered from high inflation for years, and now the spillover from the Gaza war is exacerbating the situation.

A sign for the London Metal Exchange (LME).

London Metal Exchange to build delivery centers in Saudi Arabia

Investors and mining companies are bracing for a wave of exploration licenses awarded in Saudi Arabia after the kingdom nearly doubled its untapped mineral estimate to $2.5 trillion and announced new incentives for miners in January.

A billboard with pictures of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Gulf-India relations boosted by UAE deals, Saudi Aramco talks

India has made deals with the UAE and Qatar recently, and trade between India and the GCC is rising.

Farmers spray grapevines at a vineyard in Souidania town, 15 Km west of the Algerian capital, on May 16, 2022. (Photo by RYAD KRAMDI / AFP) (Photo by RYAD KRAMDI/AFP via Getty Images)

Algeria to miss its 2024 food import reduction target amid worsening drought conditions

Francisco Serrano

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi inks $3.2B missile defense deal with South Korea as Iran attends expo

The World Defense Show has yielded deals between Saudi Arabia and South Korea and may lead to the strengthening of the kingdom’s ties with Iran, the United States and others.

QatarEnergy India LNG

India bets on Qatar again with 20-year LNG deal

India is one of Qatar's top LNG customers, and the Gulf country is looking to expand its reach in Asia and Europe amid high export targets and increasing competition from the United States' expanding natural gas market.

ALI KHALIGH/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

How the Gaza boycotts are impacting McDonald's, Starbucks sales

Last month, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said “misinformation” about the company’s position on the conflict had hurt the business.

Two bank employees count dollars and Iraqi dinars in Baghdad on Sept. 28, 2000.

Why Iraq's dinar is trading below official dollar rate amid new restrictions

A top US official visited Iraqi officials last week to discuss countering illicit finance and strengthening Iraq’s financial system.

Milkor 380 drone.

South Africa’s Milkor gets go-ahead to produce drones in Saudi Arabia

The Gulf country is bolstering its defense capabilities amid increasing instability in the Middle East.